Mounting for plates



Oct. 15, 1935. w. LA HODNY MOUNTING FOR PLATES Filed Nov. 4, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l j/mnmf Oct. 15, 1935. w LA HQDNY 2,017,627

MOUNTING FOR PLATES Filed NOV. 4, 1933 I 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 2,017,627 MOUNTING FOR PLATES William La Hodny, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application November 4, 1933, Serial No. 696,654

8 Claims.

This invention relates to supporting devices, and, particularly, to themounting of plates such as the reflecting elements of rear view mirrors.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved mounting for a plate, such as the plate of a rear view mirror, which may be made partially of drawn sheet metal stampings, which will permit adjustment of the plate into a plurality of diiferent positions, and which will be relatively simple, strong, dependable and inexpensive.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for plates, with which a plate may be detachably and firmly mounted during the assembly of the mounting elements, and which will be compact and attractive in appearance. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of several embodiments of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a rear View mirror utilizing one embodiment of the invention, the section being taken approximately along the line |--l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a face elevation of one of the overrunning parts which clamps the mirror plate;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the mirror plate and mounting of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 5-4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section elevation of a mirror plate and mounting, also constructed in accordance with the invention but illustrating another embodiment thereof;

Fig. 6 is a face elevation of one of the overrunning parts of the same;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the mirror plate and another mounting also. constructed in accordance with the invention but illustrating still another embodiment thereof;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 8-8 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional plan of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 99 of Fig. '7;

10 is an elevation of the split ring forming a seat for the ball, which may be used in the mounting means of Figs. 5 and 8;

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation of another mirror plate and its mounting, also constructed in accordance with the invention, but illustrating still another embodiment thereof;

Fig. 12 is a sectional plan of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line l2l2 of Fig. 11; 5

Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation of one of the clamping members of the same;

Fig. 14 is a transverse sectional elevation of the other clamping members of the same;

Fig. 15 is a face view of a resilient seat for the ball or spherical head which may be used in Figs. 5 and 8 in place of the split ring and rubber disc and Fig. 16 is a sectional elevation of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line l6-l6 of Fig. 15.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, the invention is incorporated in a rear view mirror, such as is commonly employed in automobiles for the purpose of enabling the driver of the automobile to view the approach of vehicles from the rear without the necessity of turning around. Such a rear view mirror includes a reflecting plate or member H], such as a plate of glass having a reflecting coating applied 25 to the rearface thereof, and this invention relates particularly to the mounting of such a reflecting plate. This reflecting plate Ill is commonly rectangular in shape and is provided with beveled marginal edges II.

A pair of sheet metal coupling members l2 and i3 are disposed face to face in overrunning relation to one another, and the two members so arranged are disposed against the rear or coated face of plate Ill, with the overrunning ends of the members l2 and I3 extending beyond opposite edges of the plate I D. The overrunning end of the under member I3 is bent back upon itself to form a hook M which receives and holds one beveled edge of plate l0, and the oppositeoverrunning end of the other or outer member i2 is similarly bent back upon itself to form a hook l5 which receives and holds the opposite beveled edge of the plate Ill.

Each of these members 12 and I3 is-formed of sheet metal stampings, and the under member I3, in the portion covered by the member I2, is provided with a somewhat tubular or upstanding boss I6 which is drawn upwardly or outwardly from the member, and this boss may have its side wall ll, which is nearest the hook l4, somewhat V-shaped when viewed in front elevation, as shown in Fig. 3. This side wall I! is also inclined to the plane of the coated face of the;;

. inclined wall I1, where the actual cam action plate II) to which it is applied, and the angle of inclination is less than The outer member I2 has drawn therefrom a tubular boss I8 which fits over, and nests with, the boss l6 of the under member, and for this purpose the tubular boss is also somewhat V- shaped when viewed in front elevation, as shown in Fig. 1, and the side wall I9 of the lower end of this boss which fits over the side wall ll of the under member I3 preferably is also given an inclination so that when the bosses of the two members I2 and I3 are caused to nest, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the side wall I9 of the boss of the outer member will be cammed in one direction by the inclined wall ll of the boss of the under member I3, and its camming is in a direction to draw the two hooks I4 and I5 toward one another so as to tightly clamp the plate I0 between them.

This cam action between the member takes place when the members are drawn together face to face in nesting relation, and they may be drawn together for this purpose in any suitable manner such as by a screw 20 which passes through a slot or aperture 2I in the end face of the boss I8 of the outer member and is threaded into an aperture in the end face of the boss I5 of the under member. Since the parts are made of sheet metal, the metal surrounding the aperture into which the screw 29 is threaded is punched or drawn in forming the aperture in a manner to provide a flange 22 (Fig. 4) so as to give a substantial passage that may be threaded to receive the screw 2|]. The slot 2| may be an aperture made larger than the shank of the screw 28, so that as the screw 20 is tightened, the outer member I2 may move transversely of the screw as the side wall I9 of the boss of the outer member rides down the incline of the side wall I! of the boss I6 of the under member I3,

which occurs when the hooks I4 and I5 are If desired, the slot 2I maybrought together. be elongated in the direction of movement of the member I2 when clamping the hooks I4 and I5 to the plate IE].

The end face of the boss i6 is provided with an aperture 23, Figs..3 and e, and the wall immediately surrounding this aperture is bent concavely into the form of a segment of a sphere, so as to provide a concave ringlike seat 24 which receives a spherical head or ball 25 that is carried on the end of a supporting stud 2G. The end face of the boss I8 of the outer member I2 is also provided with an aperture 21 which is aligned with the aperture 23, and the portion of the wall of this member immediately surrounding the aperture 21 is flanged outwardly in the form of a segment of a sphere so as to provide a concave seat 28 which faces the concave seat 24 of the under member. The seat 28 of the outer member bears on the spherical head 25 andconfines it to the seat 24 of the under member.

It will be noted, from Fig. 4, that the upper end of the boss I6 of the under member is nowhere in contact with the plate I 0 and, therefore, the tightening of the screw 26 not only causes the movement of the hooks I4 and I5 toward one another while clamping the plate ill, but also since the screw is located between the occurs, and the unsupported upper end of the under member I3, the screw, when tightened, will draw the seat 24 against the spherical head 25, thereby flexing the boss somewhat and creating of the members and a single screw 20 is sufiicient a resilient frictional pressure of the seat on the ball or head, which retards rocking or rotation of the head or ball 25 in the socket provided by the seats 24 and 2B.

The outer member I2 may also be provided with a slot 29 extending from the aperture 2? upwardly for some distance, which allows the seat 28 to spring slightly when the screw 20 is tightened and thus provides a further resilient, frictional pressure on the head 25 to retard its movement in the socket. The inclined side wall IQ of the outer member I2 is also provided with a notch 38 (Figs. 2 and 4) to receive the flat portion of the under member I3, which makes it possible for that portion of the member I2 above the fiat portion of the under member I3 to fit rather closely to the rear face of the plate I 0.

If desired, the formation of the boss l8 of the outer member I2 may be expedited by providing slits 3i at the lowermost point, which is at the 20 V, and also at the upper corners of the boss. The supporting stud 25 may be connected to any suitable supporting part, such as by riveting its free end to the depending arm 32 of a supportand 28. The screw 20 is passed through slot 2I and into the boss IE, but not tightened, so that the members I2 and I3 are not drawn tightly together. The members I2 and I3 at this time have the maximum amount of overrun which is permitted. The plate I8 is then slid endwise into a position between the hooks I4 and I5, and the screw 20 then tightened which draws the members I2 and I3 into closer face to face relation. 40

During this movement of the members I2 and I3 into closer nesting relation the side wall I 9 of the boss I8 of the outer member will slide along the side wall ll of the boss N5 of the under member I3, and in doing so the outer member is cammed downwardly so as to decrease the extent of overrun between the members, which action draws the hooks l4 and I5 toward one another and into tightly clamping relation with the plate I0. upper end of the boss I6 of the under member I3 will be drawn toward the boss I8 and this will carry the seat 24 tightly against the head 25 so as to frictionally secure it against movement in the socket.

By tightening the screw 25 to different extents the degree of friction or pressure which may be created on the ball or head 25 may be varied,'and the portion of the boss I6 which carries the seat At the same time the free or 0 24 may flex at the portion around the screw 2!)" when the screw 20 is tightened. This gives a resilient, continuing pressure of the seat 24 on the ball or head 25, and the slot 29 also allows a limited stretching or enlargement of the seat 28 of the outer member which gives a further re--' silient gripping of the ball 25. The stud 26 is, of course, passed through the aperture Zl' before the members I2 and I3 are brought together and the free end of the stud 25 is then riveted or otherwise secured tothe depending arm 32 of the supporting bracket 33.

By having the cooperating walls I! and I9 of the nesting bosses arcuate or V-shaped, the nesting of these walls will prevent lateral movement to couple them. With this arrangement, the mirror plate l and the coupling members l2 and i3 may be adjusted together on the ball or head 25 into a plurality of different angular positions with respect thereto. The use of the ball thus provides an articulated or universal joint enabling adjustment of the plate H1 in almost any direction within the limits permitted by the articulated joint at the head 25.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a modification of this invention is disclosed. The coupling members l2 and [3 are formed the same as in Figs. 1 to 4, except that seats 24 and 28, the screw 20, the slot 2| and the flange or boss 22 are omitted. The end face of the boss I 6 of the under member i3 is provided with an aperture 34 which is reinforced by punching the aperture to form a flange 35, and this aperture 34 is threaded to receive a threaded stud 35 which projects from the end of a cupshaped element 31. The bottom of this cupshaped element 31 is disposed flat against the outer face of the end of the boss is of the member l2, and the stud 35 passes through a slot 38 in the boss is. By turning the element 51 the stud 35 will be threaded further into the boss it of the member l3 and will draw the members [2 and I 3 into closer nesting relation. The cooperating side walls I? and if! of these members will cause a movement of the hooks l4 and l 5 into clamping engagement with the opposite edges of the mirror plate ID as the members l2 and [3 are drawn into closer nesting relation. The slot 38 is of a suflicient size to permit this limited movement of the members I2 and I 3, which draws the hooks l4 and I5 toward one another.

An annular disc 38 of soft resilient rubber is disposed against the inner or closed end of the cavity 4!! of the element 37, and a metal ring 4! (Figs. 5 and which is preferably split, is disposed flat against the face of the rubber disc 39. This split ring M is somewhat smaller in diameter than the diameter of the cavity 40. The ball or head which is carried by the supporting stud 26 is disposed in the cavity 40 against the split ring 4|, and the ball seats itself in the aperture of this split ring as shown clearly in Fig. 5.

A retaining ring 42 is threaded over the outside of the element 3? and is provided at its outer end with an internal flange 43 which extends partially across the open end of the cavity 40 and engages with-the ball or head 25 and confines it within the cavity 48 and in contact with the split ring 4|. This ring 42 has an abrupt shoulder 44 which seats against a corresponding shoulder of the element 31 when the ring is threaded to the maximum intended extent up on the element 31, and this abrupt shoulder on the element 37 may for convenience be the outer end face of the element 31, in which case the shoulder 44 of the ring may be the inner face of the flange 43. The frictional contact between the abutting shoulders of the ring 42 and element 3! acts on the principle of a lock washer to resist unscrewing of the ring 42 through force exerted on the ring by the ball 25 as the latter rocks in cavity 40.

The depth of the cavity 40 is such that when the ring 42 is threaded upon the element 31 to the maximum extent intended, the ball or head 25 will be forced tightly against the split ring, which forms a metal seat therefor, and the split ring stresses the rubber disc 39 and thus provides a yielding, frictional pressure on the ball 25. The split ring 4| is preferably formed of resilient metal so that it may resiliently spread slightly or enlarge through pressure thereon of the ball, and

thus provide an additional resilient force acting on the ball 25 to compensate for wear between the ball and its seat. This provides another type of universal joint between the supporting stud 26 and the coupling members i2 and i3. The

stud 26 is attached to the automobile body in any suitable manner such as through the bracket 33.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the coupling members 45 and 46 which are somewhat similar to the members i2 and I3, are also disposed in overrunning, face to face relation to one another and against the coated face of the mirror plate ii). The under member 45, at its overrunning end is provided with a hook 41 which receives and clamps against one beveled edge of the mirror plate ID. The opposite and overrunning end of the member 46 is also provided with a hook 48 which engages and clamps the opposite beveled edge of the mirror plate ID.

The under member 45 is provided with an outwardly drawn tubular boss 49 which is everywhere spaced from the edge of the member by a flat marginal area of substantial proportions, as shown clearly in Figs. 8 and 9. Similarly, the outer member 46 is provided with a larger, drawn tubular boss 59 which nests over the boss 49. The side wall 5| of the boss 49 of the under member 45, along the upper portion of the boss, is

given an acute inclination to the rear face of the plate I!) and the corresponding side wall 52 of the boss 57.! rides upon the inclined side wall 5| so as to be cammed upwardly thereby, when the members are drawn together face to face in closer relationship. This cam action decreases the extent of overrun of these coupling members 45 and 46 and consequently draws the hooks 41 and 48 toward one another and into firm clamping relation with the opposite edges of the mirror plate ID.

The end face of the boss 49 has an aperture 53 punched therein so as to provide a reinforcing flange 54 that will receive threads for an appreciable distance, and into this aperture 53 one may thread the stud 36 of the cup-shaped element 3'! described in connection with Fig. 5. The end face of the boss of the outer coupling member, is provided with an elongated slot 55 through which the threaded stud 85 extends and which permits of a limited relative movement of the members 45 and 46 as they move into and out of clamping engagement with the opposite side edges of the mirror plate Hi.

The assembly and operation of this embodiment of the invention is similar to that of the construction described in connection with Fig. 5, except that the bearing or cam action between the bosses of the two members occurs at the upper portion of the nesting bosses, instead of at the lower edge as in Figs. 1 to 5. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 7 to 9 the slits 3! are omitted, and the bosses are drawn from the interior area of the body of the sheet metal. The boss 58, in the particular example shown, has the appearance somewhat of the shape of a sad iron. Since the bosses 49 and 50 nest fairly closely on their side vertical edges (Fig. 9), relative movement of the coupling members 45 and 49 sidewise will be prevented.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 11 to 14 the coupling members 56 and 5? are also disposed face to face in overrunning relation, and are also formed of sheet metal. The member 55, at its outer overrunning end, is bent upon itself to form hooks 58 which receive and grip one beveled edge of the plate l0, and the other member 5'! at its outer overrunning end is similarly bent to provide a hook 59 which engages the opposite beveled edge of the mirror plate H3. The member 56 (Fig. 14) is provided with a tubular boss 60 which is drawn outwardly from the interior of its face area, preferably of the shape similar to the boss 49 of Figs. '7 to 9.

The end wall or face of the boss 69 is provided with an aperture 6!, and the portion of the wall surrounding the aperture is flanged in to the shape of a segment of a sphere to provide a concave seat 52 which receives the head of stud 28. The outer member 57 is provided with a drawn boss 63, which is similar in shape to the boss 50 of Figs. 7 to 9, but it is provided with an aperture as which is aligned with the aperture 5|. The portion of the wall surrounding the aperture 64 is flanged outwardly and formed into the shape of a segment of a sphere, so as to provide a concave seat 65 which also engages the ball or head 25 and confines it to the seat 82. Screws 65 are passed through slots or apertures in the boss 63, one at each side of the aperture 63, and threaded into boss 68 of the under member 55, in the manner in which the screw 20 of Figs. 1 to 4 is threaded into the boss IS.

The upper side wall 6'! of the boss 60 of the under member 5%, is also acutely inclined to the plane of the coated face of the mirror plate Hi, the same as the inclined wall 5| of Figs. 7 to 9. The upper portion of the side wall 63 of the boss 63 of the outer member engages, and is cammed by, the wall 67 in the same manner and for the same purpose that the wall 5'2 engages and is cammed by the wall 5| in Figs. '7 to 9. Thus when the screws 66 are tightened, the coupling members 56 and 51 will be drawn into closer nesting relation to one another and thereby the degree of overrun between the members will be decreased through the camming action on one another of the walls 6'! and 68, which draws the hooks 58 and 59 into clamping engagement with the mirror plate I0. At the same time the screws 65 draw the seats 62 and 65 tightly into engagement with the head or ball 25 so as to create a frictional bearing thereon.

The boss 63 of the outer coupling member, in this particular form, is preferably provided with a slot 69 which extends from the aperture (Mupwardly or outwardly and through the upper marginal edge of the boss as shown clearly in Figs. 11 and 13. Thus as the seats 62 and 65 are drawn into engagement with the head or ball 25 by the tightening of the screws 65,. the seat 65, which is split by reason of the slot 69, may be sprung apart or open slightly, and since the metal is resilient it will provide a yielding frictional bearing on the ball 25 to compensate for wear while maintaining a tight frictional engagement with the head or ball 25. Thus one may tighten the screws 66 sufficiently to draw the coupling members into firm clamping engagement with the mirror plate without such action being unduly resisted by the ball or head25.

In Figs. 15 and 16 I have illustrated a different type of resilient seat for the ball or head 25 in place of the rubber disc 3% and the split metal ring 4| of Figs. 5 to 10. This improved, resilient ball seat is a cup-shaped shell 10 of resilientmetal, which fits into the cavity 40, Fig. 5, with the open end of the cup of the shell 10 abutting the inner, closed end of the cavity MI. The end face of the shell 10, which would be the bottom of the cup. is provided with a central aperture '12 and with a plurality of slits 13 running from the aperture 12 outwardly a considerable distance toward the periphery of the shell. These slits l3 create fingers 14 radiating toward the center and receive the ball or head 25 and form one seat therefor. When pressure is applied to the ball or head 25 in the cavity 40 by the retaining ring 42, the ball will flex the fingers M and thus provide a resilient pressure on the ball which frictionally resists movement of the ball in the cavity 40.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mounting for a plate such as the reflecting plate of a rear view mirror, which comprises a pair of members disposed face to face and overrunning one another, one of said members having, at its overrunning end, a hook which engages one edge of said plate to be mounted, and the other member at the opposite overrunning end having a hook engaging with the opposite edge of said plate, said members having cooperating cam surfaces causing relative movements of said members in a direction to draw said hooks toward one another when said members are drawn together face to face, means detachably coupling said members and adjustably drawing them together face to face, and means connected to said coupled members for supporting the same in a desired position.

2. A mounting for a plate such as the reflecting plate of a rear View mirror, comprising a pair of and nesting with one another, but relatively movable to a limited extent in the direction of overrunning, means acting between said members for drawing said members towards one another and concomitantly causing relative movement of said members in said direction of overrunning to draw said hooks towards one another into clamping' engagement with said plate, and means connected to the coupled members for supporting the same in a desired position. i

3. A mounting for a plate such as the reflecting plate of a rear view mirror, comprising a pair of sheet metal members disposed face to face and overrunning one another at opposite ends, the overrunning end of one member being bent back upon itself to form a hook which may receive and hold one edge of said plate when said members are disposed flat against one face of said plate, the opposite overrunning end of the other member being also bent back upon itself to form a hook which may receive and hold the opposite edge of said plate, the under member having a portion drawn outwardly therefrom at an acute inclination to its face, and the outer member having a portion engaging and sliding on said inclined portion so that when said members are drawn together face to face the engagement of the outer member with said inclined portion will cause said members to move in a direction to draw said hooks toward one another and clamp firmly said plate which is received between them, means for drawing said members together face to face to cause them to clamp said plate, and supporting means articulately connected to said coupled members for supporting said plate and members in different angular positions with respect to said supporting means.

4. A mounting for a plate such as the reflecting plate of a rear view mirror, comprising a pair of sheet metal members disposed face to face and overruning one another at opposite ends, the overrunning end of one of said members being bent upon itself to form a hook which will engage over one edge of said plate to be mounted when said members are disposed across a face of said plate, the opposite end of the other member being also bent upon itself to form a hook which engages over the opposite edge of said plate, the under member having a boss drawn outwardly therefrom beginning at a distance from its overrunning end, one of the walls of said boss being inclined to the face of said member from which it is drawn, the outer member also having a larger boss drawn therefrom and fitting over the boss on the under member, that side wall of the outer boss which engages the inclined wall of the under member being cammed thereby, when said members are drawn together to cause relative movement of said members in a direction to draw said hooks toward one another into clamping engagement with the opposite edges of said plate which is received between them, means for cou pling said members together face to face and for drawing them into closer face to face relation, and supporting means connected to the coupled members.

5. A mounting for a plate such as the reflecting plate of a rear view mirror, comprising a clamping unit formed of two sheet metal plates disposed face to face and each overrunning the other at opposite ends, the overrunning end of one member being formed into a hook to engage over an edge of said plate when said members are disposed against and spanning a face of said plate, the opposite and overrunning end of the other member being also formed as a hook to engage over the opposite edge of said plate, the under member having a tubular boss drawn outwardly therefrom, that side wall of the boss which is nearest to the edge of the plate making an acute inclination .to the face of the plate against which that member abuts, the outer member also having a tubular, but larger boss also drawn outwardly therefrom and fitting over the boss of the other member when said members are brought together face to face, the side wall of the boss of the outer member which engages the inclined side wall of the boss of the under member being cammed by said inclined side wall of the under member in a direction to decrease the overrun between said members and draw said hooks toward one another toclamp said plate, when said members are drawn into close contact with one another and with the bosses nesting with one another, means for drawing said members into closer face to face relation to cause such clamping of the hooks to said plate and to complete the unit, and a supporting element articulately connected to said unit for supporting the latter, and through it said plate, while permitting adjustment of said plate and unit into different angular positions with respect to said element.

6. A- mounting for a plate such as the reflecting plate of a rear view mirror, comprising a pair of sheet metal members disposed against and spanningo'ne face of said plate to be mounted,

thev opposite and overrunning ends of said mem- 5 bers being formed to clamp and hold said -plate by ardecrease in the extent of overrun of said members, theunder member having a boss drawn outwardly therefrom and the outer member also having alarger boss drawn outwardly therefrom and nesting over the boss of the under member, the end face of the boss of the outer member being apertured and the portion surrounding the aperture being drawn outwardly to form a seat in the form of a segment of a sphere whose cenl5 ter of curvature is within the boss of that memher, the end face of the boss of the under member being also drawn downwardly to form a concave seat, a stud having a spherical head confined between said seats and extending outward- 1y through said aperture, means for drawing said members close together face to face so as to frictionally confine said spherical head between said seats, said bosses having cooperating side walls which cause a decrease in the extent of overrun of said members when said members are drawn together face to face, whereby when said members are drawn together face to face with their bosses nesting to clamp said head, said members will be securely clamped to said plate, the outer member having a slot extending in a direction outwardly from said aperture in its boss, whereby the portions of the outer member engaging such spherical head may yield resiliently as the members are brought together face to face to clamp the same to said plate, and a supporting element to which said stud is connected, whereby said plate will be supported from said element and will be universally adjustable thereon.

'7. A mounting for a plate such as the reflecting plate of a rear view mirror, comprising a pair of sheet metal members disposed against and spanning one face of said plate to be mounted, the opposite and overrunning ends of said members being formed to clamp and hold said plate by a decrease in the extent of overrun of said members, the under member having a boss drawn outwardly therefrom and the outer member also having a larger boss drawn outwardly therefrom and nesting over the boss of the under member, said bosses having cooperating side walls which cause a decrease in the extent of overrun of said members when said members are drawn together face to face, the end faces of the nesting bosses having aligned apertures, a cup-shaped element disposed with its closed end abutting the outer face of the boss of the outer member and having a stud extending therefrom through the aperture in the boss of the outer member and threaded into the aperture in the under member, whereby said element and its stud serves as a screw to draw said members into closer face to face relation and cause a decrease in said overrun, a resiliently mounted ball seat provided at the inner end of the cavity of said cup-shaped element, a ball disposed in said cavity against said seat and having a reduced stud extending outwardly through the open end of said element, a retaining ring secured to said element and having an internal flange at its outer end through the opening of which said stud extends, and with the flange forming the outer seat for said ball, whereby said ball will be removably secured in said element, and a Supporting member to which said stud is connected.

8. A mounting for a plate such as the reflecting plate of a rear view mirror, comprising a pair of sheet metal members disposed-against and spanning oneface of said plate to be mounted, the opposite and overrunning ends of said members being formed to clamp and hold said plate by a decrease in the extent of overrun of said 10 members, the under member having a boss drawn outwardly therefrom and the outer member also having a larger boss drawn outwardly therefrom and nesting over the boss of the under member, and means passing between said bosses for drawing them together and concomitantly decreasing the extent of their overrun to clamp said plate between them, and means connected to the coupled members for supporting them and said 

